New Holmes Show

[Snipe Hunter]

Call me crazy, but I'd never use an inspector recommended by the agent.  

When you get an inspection, you have to use your head.  Hit the seller with the big ticket items, and put the rest on your to-do list.

Eric, I agree with your agent.  Spending money on new carpet doesn't add value if the buyer doesn't like it.  Same goes for repainting unless the room looks really shabby.

It all depends on the market. Solid houses sell here in a couple days. Rough houses won't sell till the price drops well below the solid houses. Sometimes it drops several times before there's a contract. "Move In Ready" sells houses fast and at top dollar. When I say move in ready, I mean good roof, new paint, clean carpet or hardwood floors, working windows in every room, updated and tiled kitchen and baths with granite or quartz counter-tops.

I'm advertising on Home Advisor and most of the leads I get from there are from sellers. They want me to go through their house and tell them what the buyers inspector will find so they can either fix it or be prepared to cut the price. I'm shocked at the things I see that the owner was clueless about. I watch them once they go on the market to see how fast they sell. Other leads are from agents who can't get their usual inspector fast enough.

[EricU]

I would love to have a good inspector.  I guess there aren't very many because the realtors are the ones that get them jobs, and they want everything papered over.

[TDKPE]

I would love to have a good inspector.  I guess there aren't very many because the realtors are the ones that get them jobs, and they want everything papered over.

When we bought our first house in NJ long ago, the realtor recommended an inspector, which we hired.  The realtor was a long-time local with an office on the main drag in the middle of town (Metuchen), the seller was a long-time resident and so-called builder, and I didn't know anything about the inspector. 

I got there on time, and the inspector was already climbing out of the attic, with the seller standing there grinning like the Cheshire Cat. 

Long story made short, he didn't happen to catch minor things like the totally caved in return air ductwork in the attic (air handler up there) which allow 100% attic air into the system, mismatched antique components, and rotted out pan.  And that's just the A/C system.

We hot hosed on the inspection, in other words.  Suggested by the realtor, and met at the house by the seller without me there.  I wonder what it cost the seller.


I would have replaced much of the stuff that was bad anyway, but it would have given me a bargaining position at least. 

Live and learn.  Or read it here first, and learn, which is a bit more efficient and maybe more cost-effective.

[Snipe Hunter]

I would love to have a good inspector.  I guess there aren't very many because the realtors are the ones that get them jobs, and they want everything papered over.

You can go here to ASHI to find an inspector.

ASHI wrote the curriculum for the national exam. They are the oldest Home Inspectors society. I'm not a member but I will be. I'm affiliated with another society because their ongoing training is a lot cheaper. Once I get more established, I'll join ASHI.

Pennsylvania has the same requirements for inspectors as Maryland and they also use the ASHI National exam.

[Snipe Hunter]

When we bought our first house in NJ long ago, the realtor recommended an inspector, which we hired.  The realtor was a long-time local with an office on the main drag in the middle of town (Metuchen), the seller was a long-time resident and so-called builder, and I didn't know anything about the inspector. 

I got there on time, and the inspector was already climbing out of the attic, with the seller standing there grinning like the Cheshire Cat. 

Long story made short, he didn't happen to catch minor things like the totally caved in return air ductwork in the attic (air handler up there) which allow 100% attic air into the system, mismatched antique components, and rotted out pan.  And that's just the A/C system.

We hot hosed on the inspection, in other words.  Suggested by the realtor, and met at the house by the seller without me there.  I wonder what it cost the seller.


I would have replaced much of the stuff that was bad anyway, but it would have given me a bargaining position at least. 

Live and learn.  Or read it here first, and learn, which is a bit more efficient and maybe more cost-effective.

Typically, the inspector won't inspect a home with the owner there. I won't do it. It nips collusion in the bud. It incumbent on the RE agent to get access to the home. I want the buyer with me for the whole inspection so I can physically show him/her what's going into the report.

[AgGEM]

I've stopped watching such shows; fake drama reality tv, too much like professional wrestling.

. So true.
Ag

[daveferg]

I got a terrific inspection on our current house through Home Advisor. If an inspection is an escrow contingency, it's almost impossible to do it without the sellers there unless they've already moved.

On the other hand we came close to suing Home Guard Inc. who did a totally bogus job on the house we're selling. Exaggerations and outright lies filled the report and when called on it, they refused to correct the report. I can't say if all their locations are as bad, but Novato, CA is horrible.